Diaper



June 5, 1934. E. FRIEDMAN DIAPER Filed Jan. 4, 19:54

Patented June 5, 1934 DIAPER Eli Friedman, Boston, Mass.

Application January 4, 1934, Serial No. 705,295

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparel and more particularly to a diaper, one object of the invention being to provide a diaper adapted to be secured about a babys body by tapes carried by the diaper, thereby eliminating the use of pins, buttons or other elements which are liaole to'work loose and either scratch the baby or be swallowed with resulting likelihood of serious injury to the baby.

Another object of the invention is to so form the diaper that it consists of an initially substantially flat sheet of fabric foldable to form a body having a plurality of plies and having fold indicating elements constituting reinforcements for side edge portions of the plies and formed with openings through which securing tapes carried by a portion of the diaper are to be passed when applying the diaper to a baby.

Another object of the invention is to so locate the openings in the rear portion of the diaper that this portion may be folded from its upper end to shorten the length of the diaper for use upon a very small baby and dispose companion openings in registry to receive the tapes.

With these and numerous other objects in View,

my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularlypointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Figure l is a view showing the'sheet from which the diaper is formed in a flat condition;

Figure 2 is a view showing the sheet of Figure'l folded;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the folded diaper doubled upon itself to provide front and rear portions to be secured about a babys body when the diaper is in use;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3, but looking from the opposite side thereof;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing tapes passing through slots or openings formed through reinforced side edge portions of certain plies of the diaper;

Figure 6 is a View showing the upper tapes tied together in bow knots, but the lower tapes left free;

Figure '7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the diaper may be folded tofit a very small baby; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 illustrating the manner in which a shortened diaper is to be secured about a baby.

This improved diaper is formed from a sheet indicated in general by the numeral 1 which is preferably fabric but may be formed of any material desired. This sheet has portions in spaced relation to its side edges and in spaced relation to each other pinched together and creased to form fold indicating elements 2 extending from the lower edge of the sheet and through these pinched together portions of the sheet are formed a series of openings 3, 4 and 5 which resemble button holes and are reinforced by button hole stitching which in addition. to reinforcing the openings also serve to retain the crimped portions of the sheet in face to face contact with each other. It should also be noted that when the sheet is folded along the fold indicating element 2 to dispose the section 6 against the intermediate section 7 and the section 8 against the section '6, adiaper body conforming to the dimensions of the intermediate section 7 will be formed and this body will consist of a plurality of layers or plies.

The fold indicating elements 2 not only serve to facilitate folding of'the sheet to form the diaper body but also constitute reinforcements for side edge portions of the interconnected plies or layers, this being due to the fact that when the openings are cut through the portions and their margins worked with buttonhole stitching a strong construction will result and likelihood of tearing the fabric when applying the diaper will be eliminated. Other openings 9 and 10 are formed through the section 8 adjacent upper and lower ends of the free side edge thereof and these openings are also worked with button hole stitching so that tapes may be passed through them without fraying the fabric and causing the diaper to be easily torn when the tapes are tightened and secured.

In order to secure the diaper in place about a baby, there has been provided tapes 11, 12, 13 and 14, the tapes 11 and 12 consisting of free end portions of strips of fabric 15 and 16 which extend transversely across the upper ends of the section '1 and are firmly sewed to this section, one upon another, with the attached portion of the strip 15 extending the fullwidth of the section and the strip 16 having its intermediate portion sewed upon the intermediate portion of the strip 15 and its free end portion starting in spaced relation to side edges of the section '7. It should also be noted that the section 7 is crimped from its upper edge for a short distance to form reinforcement 1"l disposed at the attached end of the tape 12 and serving to strengthen the fabric and prevent likelihood of tearing when the tapes 11 and 12 are tied to each other in bow knots 18. This also prevents danger of the tapes 12 being torn loose when laundering the diaper.

The tapes 13 and 14 may consist of separate strips of fabric having end portions brought together and folded to form attaching portions 19 sewed to the section '7 or the tapes 13 and 14 may be formed from a single strip of fabric having short intermediate portions sewed to the side portions of the section '7 and the end portions free to form the tapes.

When this improved diaper is in use, the sheet is folded as previously set forth to form a body having an outer layer or ply '7, an inner layer 8 and an intermediate layer or ply 6. The folded sheet is then placed upon a couch or other suitable supporting surface with the outer ply or layer lowermost and the baby placed upon this diaper after which the lower end portion of the diaper is brought upwardly between the legs to rest upon the babys stomach. Therefore, the diaper when applied will have front and rear sections integrally united at their lower ends with the babys legs projecting outwardly between free side portions of the front and rear portions. The tapes 11 are now passed rearwardly through the openings 9,10 and 5 after which they are brought forwardly to draw the front and rear portions of the diaper snugly about the babys waist and united to the tapes 12 by bow knots 18 as shown in Figure 6. It will thus be seen that the diaper may be secured snugly in place without excessive pressure being applied. The tapes 13 are passed rearwardly through the openings 4 and then brought forwardly and tied to the tapes 14. with bow knots to secure side portions of the diaper about the babys sides and cause it to fit properly.

When the diaper is to be applied to a small baby, it is either folded as shown in Figure '7 or as shown in Figure 8. Referring to Figure '7, it will be seen that after the sheet has been folded as shown in Figure 2 and placed flat upon a supporting surface with the layer 8 uppermost, it is again folded transversely between the openings 3 and 4 thereby shortening the length of the diaper body. When so folded, the tapes 11 are passed through the openings 9, 4 and 3 and the tapes 13 passed through the openings 5 and 10 instead of through the opening 4. According to- Figure 8, the diaper is folded between the openings 4 and 5 instead of between the openings 3 and 4. When folded in this manner a diaper of intermediate size will be provided and the tapes 11 will be passed through the openings 9, 5 and 4 or merely through the openings 9 and 4, while the tapes 13 are passed through the openings 3. The tapes 13 are tied to tapes 14 as shown at 2'7 and the tapes 11 are drawn forwardly and tied to each other in' a bow knot 26 with corner portions of the diaper folded inwardly to cause the diaper to fit snugly about a babys waist. It will thus be seen that the diaper can be folded to fit either a very small baby, a medium sized baby or a large baby and will not be bulky when applied. The method of folding may be varied as a baby grows. Ends of the tapes are knotted as shown at 20 to prevent them from ravelling and also allow them to be easily passed through the openings. A tab 25 provides means for securing the diaper to a babys shirt and holding the shirt in place within the diaper.

I have, therefore, provided a diaper which can be easily applied without use of pins, buttons or other fasteners which are liable to work loose or be pulled off by a baby and swallowed and also provided a diaper which when soiled can be unfolded and assume the form of a sheet of single thickness which can be very easily washed and dried.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved diaper, the method of applying the same to use will be readily understood. It will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A diaper comprising a sheet having intermediate portions spaced frorn'side edges of the sheet and each other pinched together and stitched to form folds extending from the lower end of the sheet and terminating in spaced relation to the upper end of the sheet each fold being formed with openings cut through both thicknesses of the fold and reinforced by bordering stitches, said sheet being folded along said folds to form a body having front, rear, and intermediate plies the lower portions of which are bordered and reinforced by the folds, said body when folded to dispose its upper and lower end edges in registry defining front and rear portions of a diaper and a portion to extend between a babys legs, tapes extending from side edges of the outer ply of the front portion and of a length to be passed rearwardly through said openings and then brought forwardly and other tapes carried by the outer ply of the front portion to be united to the first tapes by bow knots and releasably secure the tapes with the said front and rear portions drawn snugly about a babys body.

2. A diaper comprising a sheet forming a body of a length to be folded and form a diaper having front and rear portions, the rear portion being formed with openings near its side edges spaced from each other longitudinally thereof whereby the rear portion may be folded intermediate the openings to shorten the length of the diaper, and tapes carried by the front portion to be passed through openings of the rear portion and then brought forwardly and secured with upper corner portions of the diaper folded forwardly and the diaper held snugly about a babys body.

3. A diaper comprising a sheet foldable to form a diaper having front and rear portions, the said rear portion being foldable inwardly from its upper end to shorten the length of the diaper and side edge portions of the rear portion being formed with openings between which the rear portion is to be folded when shortened, and flexible fastening elements carried by the front portion and adapted to be passed through openings of the rear portion and brought forwardly and secured to snugly hold the front and rear portions about a babys body.

4. A diaper comprising a sheet foldable to form front and rear portions, one portion being foldable from its upper end to shorten the length of the diaper, and means permanently carried by one of said portions for snugly holding the aforesaid front and rear portions about a babys body, the said means also serving as ineans for retaingig the said foldable portion in its folded condion. a

5. A diaper comprising a sheet foldable to form front and rear portions, the said rear portion being foldable from its upper end to shorten the length of the diaper, and means permanently carried by the front portion for retaining the rear portion in its folded condition and securing the said front and rear portions snugly about a babys body. 7

6. A diaper comprising a' sheet folded to form front and rear portions, one of said portions being further foldable to vary the length of the diaper, and means permanently attached to one of said portions adapted forv engagement with the other portion to secure said portions adjustably about the body of the wearer and simultaneously retain the folds of the one portion in a folded position.

7. A diaper comprising a sheet having intermediate portions pinchedtogether and permanently secured to form elongated fold indicating elements extending from an edge of the sheet whereby the sheet may be folded to provide a plurality-of layers, the said pinched and secured portions being formed with openings, the folded sheet being further foldable to provide front and rear portions of a diaper, tapes carried by the front portion and of a length to be engaged through the openings and brought forwardly to hold the diaper snugly in place, and securing means permanently carried by the front portion to adJustably secure said tapes when brought forwardly.

8. A diaper comprising a sheet having portions pinched together and permanently secured to form elongated reinforced fold indicating elements whereby the sheet may be folded to provide a plurality of plies, the folded sheet being additionally folded to form front and rear portions of a diaper with the reinforced portions extending along side edges of the rear portion, the said about a baby and retaining the said rear portion in its shortened condition.

ELI FRIEDMAN. 

